Thursday 12 April 2018

Facebook data breach: Aussies find out if they were affected by Cambridge Analytica access

Updated yesterday at 4:51pm
As Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg fronts a congressional inquisition, the social media giant has been notifying users if their information was caught up in the now-infamous Cambridge Analytica data breach.
While only 53 Australians actively shared their data with the "This Is Your Digital Life" app, more than 300,000 Aussies "may have" had their data improperly shared with the political consultancy group, Facebook has said.
Because of the way Facebook worked back in 2013, if you were friends with someone who used the app, some of your data was also collected and could have been shared with Cambridge Analytica.
Such is the power of social networks.
Facebook has been rolling out three different notifications in users' news feeds, letting them know whether they used the offending app, whether one of their friends did, or whether they appear to be safe from this particular breach.

But before you get that alert, you can check yourself by using this tool released by Facebook.
We asked our audience whether their data was included in the breach, and how they felt about it.
Unsurprisingly, none of the responses came from people who had used the app itself. But dozens of people got in touch saying they were caught up through friends who had.

Many responded with anger

I didn't use the application but because a friend of mine did my information was still shared. I did the careful thing by not using applications like This Is Your Digital Life but my information was still stolen and I couldn't deny permission and I think that's ridiculous — Shawn J
Really pissed off bc it was shared via an unnamed friend logging in to something I never touched so I don't have any clue how much info the friend had to share — Sara C

I'm extremely angry about this. I am so security minded and private person. To me it's bullshit. How can I trust them anymore? — Lori B
I feel angry and trespassed! — Ansu F
It appears … as I didn't use the app … but someone I know did … Cambridge Analytica, had access to my profile, picture, posts, likes, date of birth, where I live, work, etc. through them … I feel grumpy that this has happened … pissed that anyone can do and has done this … and I feel unprotected: unsafe!! - Katharine W

Others were a little more equivocal about the data breach

I didn't login to the app but apparently a friend did. Therefore my public information was shared. I guess public information is public information. I'd still like some say over how that's used but again, if it's in the public domain - anyone can access it — Andy D
Not great, but I accepted the lack of privacy when I signed up in 09 — Sami M
Only public data was really used, so I guess I understand — Daniel B

Inquiries are underway

How Facebook is using the data of Australian users is now the subject of two inquiries: one by the Privacy Commissioner and another by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
What they will conclude, and what action they will take, is not yet known.
The Cambridge Analytica saga has prompted Facebook to make changes, including restricting data access — mostly to outsiders and third parties.
That's on top of their plans to rearrange their privacy settings.
"We didn't take a broad enough view of our responsibility, and that was a big mistake," Mr Zuckerberg told the congressional committee.
"It was my mistake, and I'm sorry. I started Facebook, I run it, and I'm responsible for what happens here."
For its part, Cambridge Analytica has denied wrongdoing but has been suspended from Facebook and had its London offices raided.

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